Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Puromycin
Introduction
Puromycin is an antibiotic that is a potent inhibitor of translation.
Inhibition of translation
Inhibition of translation
Puromycin is an aminonucleoside antibiotic, derived from the Streptomyces alboniger bacterium, that causes premature chain termination during translation taking place in the ribosome. Part of the molecule resembles the 3′ end of the aminoacylated tRNA. It will enter the A site and transfer to the growing chain, causing premature chain release. The exact mechanism of action is unknown at this time, but, the 3′ position contains an amide linkage instead of the normal ester linkage of tRNA, the amide bond makes the molecule much more resistant to hydrolysis and thus causes the ribosome to become stopped.
It is not selective for either prokaryotes or eukaryotes.
Also of note, puromycin is critical in mRNA display as it allows the growing peptide chain to be covalently bonded to its own mRNA template.
Editor-In-Chief: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [1] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.